‘Our Town': The Nearly Unbearable Beauty of Life
Human life is meaningful only when it's relational. Only by treasuring life's moments in togetherness do birth, aging, and death become worthwhile. That's the point of director Sam Wood's film, 'Our Town' (1940), inspired by Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name.
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USA Today
9 hours ago
- USA Today
Ozzy Osbourne health issues: The heavy metal icon battled Parkinson's disease, addiction
Ozzy Osbourne may have been a fierce rock 'n' roller, but he was far from invincible. The Grammy-winning singer and Black Sabbath frontman died on Tuesday, July 22, at the age of 76, according to a family statement shared with USA TODAY. Osbourne's death came just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath for the heavy metal band's final show in Birmingham, England. Taking the stage at Villa Park in front of 40,000 fans, the July 5 concert was a reprieve from the English singer's harrowing battle with Parkinson's disease, which had rendered him unable to stand or walk without assistance. But for nine songs that included Black Sabbath classics "Paranoid" and "Iron Man," as well as Osbourne standards "Mr. Crowley" and "Crazy Train," the guitars cranked, and the Prince of Darkness reveled in his return to the spotlight. Aside from his struggles with Parkinson's disease, Osbourne also dealt with substance abuse. The outlandish rocker, who later embarked on a solo career, was booted from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to his rampant drug and alcohol addiction. Ozzy Osbourne on 'self-medicating' with yearslong substance abuse Osbourne's battles with addiction have led to infamous moments in music history. He bit the head off a dove during a 1981 meeting with record executives in Los Angeles and the following year chomped the head off a live bat during a show in Des Moines, Iowa. The singer got candid on his tumultuous relationship with addiction in a February 2021 interview with Variety. "I've always been self-medicating because I've never liked the way I felt," Osbourne told the outlet. "I've had great success in my life, but I've never felt great about myself. And so, from a very early age, I used to sniff fumes, all kinds of things, anything to get me out of my head." Osbourne later got serious about his sobriety around 2014 after numerous attempts at recovery dating back to 1984. "I thought I'd be drinking to the day I die," he reflected. "Most of the people that I drank with are dead. And the ones that aren't, that still continue to drink, are going to be dead soon," Osbourne added. "It's not a happy ending. If you want to carry on drinking, my hat goes off to you." Ozzy Osbourne undergoes neck surgery after 2019 fall In April 2019, a representative for Osbourne revealed on social media that he was postponing all tour dates on his farewell No More Tours II concert tour after the singer sustained injuries during a fall at his Los Angeles home. In a January 2020 interview with "Good Morning America," Osbourne detailed the "terribly challenging" year he went through due to his extensive recovery. "I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves in," Osbourne said at the time. "I've got numbness down this arm from the surgery. My legs feel going cold. I don't know if that's Parkinson's or what. … It's a weird feeling." Ozzy Osbourne breaks silence on Parkinson's disease diagnosis In a revealing sit-down interview with "Good Morning America" in January 2020, Osbourne, alongside wife Sharon Osbourne, shared that he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is a degenerative syndrome that results in the slow loss of brain circuitry involved in movement, thinking, and behavior. It can cause tremors, stiffness, slowness, and falls, in addition to anxiety, depression, and sleep dysfunction. Though fans knew the singer had suffered from tremors, Osbourne said he didn't find out about his diagnosis until 2019. "I'm not good at secrets. I cannot walk around with it anymore," Osbourne said on the ABC talk show. "I feel better now of owning up to the fact that I have a case of Parkinson's." A month after his "GMA" interview, Osbourne canceled the North American leg of his No More Tours II tour to focus on his recovery, as the singer prepared to travel to Switzerland for treatment. Ozzy Osbourne reveals emphysema battle amid 'worst year of my life' In a November 2020 interview with GQ, Osbourne revealed he had emphysema, a chronic lung condition — often attributed to smoking — that causes shortness of breath, according to Mayo Clinic. "This year has been the worst year of my life!" said Osbourne, who'd revealed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis in January. The singer also voiced his health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic: "I've got emphysema, so if I get this virus, I'm f-----." Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, Sara M Moniuszko, Karen Weintraub, and Charles Trepany, USA TODAY If you or someone you know needs help battling a substance abuse addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Eater
10 hours ago
- Eater
Two of Chicago's Most Venerable Japanese Restaurants Unite for Omakase in Old Town
is the James Beard Award-winning regional editor for Eater's Midwest region, and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He's a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014. Adam Sindler and Mari Katsumura represent royalty when it comes to the rich history of Japanese restaurants in Chicago. In 1967, Sindler's family founded Kamehachi, the city's first sushi bar, before planting its flag in Old Town along Wells Street. Katsumura's parents started the pioneering Yoshi's Cafe in Lakeview with Yoshi Katsumura combining French and Japanese cuisine into something special. The restaurant was a fixture along Halsted for 39 years. 'He claimed he invented wasabi-mashed potatoes in the '90s,' Mari Katsumura says of her late father with a laugh. 'I love spreading that rumor and perpetuating that story.' Sindler has brought on Katsumura as chef to open a new restaurant along Wells Street inside the same space that housed his family's restaurant. SHŌ is scheduled to open on Tuesday, August 12, at 1533 N. Wells Street, giving the two a canvas to show Chicago their brand of omakase. Katsumura, now rejuvenated after her work at Michelin-starred Yugen in West Loop, will offer a six- to eight-course omakase for about $145. There will also be supplements. SHŌ will offer the menu both at a 12-seat sushi counter and the restaurant's four tops. The meal won't be 100 percent sushi, which is often a misnomer. When it comes to Japanese cuisine, Sindler and Katsumura admit that Chicago often lags behind the coasts. Katsumura feels it's harder to compete in the Midwest as the region is limited when it comes to fresh seafood. That's something that 2024 James Beard Award-winning chef Hajime Sato of Sozai in suburban Detroit faced before he closed his restaurant earlier this year. SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen There's also a glut of omakase restaurants opening or that have recently debuted. Katsumura points out that most of them — if any — don't have Japanese chefs or owners. She feels that '39 years of eating Japanese food' — mostly cooked by her parents — gives her a unique perspective on the cuisine, which is why courses like a reimagined chawanmushi with truffled dashi custard and cauliflower foam, accompanied by Osetera royale caviar, and shaved summer truffle will shine. Hand rolls are also making their way through Chicago. SHŌ will riff on those with a build-your-own course that emulates caviar service with numerous add-ons available. Still, the two are careful as they don't want to gatekeep culture. Sindler points out that he is both Italian and Japanese. He also mentions Sushi by Scratch's Phillip Frankland Lee, saying the chef — who isn't Japanese — presents the culture and cuisine as he sees it. At SHŌ, Sindler says while respecting tradition is important, adhering to authenticity — however that's defined — is not. 'We are inherently Japanese in terms of how we grew up,' Sindler says. 'The food is personal in that regard.' Sindler designed the space and added several nods to music. Joining them is GM Preston Smith, currently the sommelier and assistant general manager at Beity in Fulton Market. SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Anthony Tahlier Entering the restaurant business wasn't a given for Sindler, who washed dishes at Kamehachi as a teen before going off to explore art and music. The latter is shown in how SHŌ approaches its food. It's not so much a progressive menu, but a mixtape. This is a collaboration between two like-minded Japanese Americans who grew up in Chicago. Although their families are from parts of Japan, the common ground was so strong that Katsumura, an award-winning pastry chef, even welcomed Sindler's input on the dessert course. Sindler ended up working at the Alinea Group's Roister before returning to the family business during COVID. Kamehachi has had numerous locations in Chicago, including one at the corner of Wells and Schiller (most recently a Broken English Taco Pub). They vacated that address in 2011 and moved to where SHŌ will debut. The new restaurant's name is a shortened version of the Japanese word 'keisho,' which translates to inheritance. The traditional lore attached to the name involves a family passing a katana down through generations. Sindler says it symbolized the torch being passed: 'It's three letters,' he says. 'I think it's powerful.' SHŌ, 1533 N. Wells Street, opening on Tuesday, August 12, reservations available via OpenTable Eater Chicago All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
USA Today
12 hours ago
- USA Today
Dua Lipa's one-off Porsche 911 GT3 RS is for sale at auction
One of the only things louder than pop music fans screaming at a concert of their favorite artists is the sound of a naturally aspirated flat-six engine revving to 9,000 RPMs. If you are a Porsche 911 enthusiast, or a fan of Dua Lipa's music ― or both ― then an ongoing auction will catch your attention. RM Sotheby's is offering a one-off Porsche "Dua Lipa Rennstall" GT3 RS at auction from now till July 31. The proceeds will go to the Sunny Hill Foundation, which will aid Kosovan culture and arts. Pop and performance The three-time Grammy-winning artist partnered with Porsche AG and Radical22 to bring the vehicle to life. The car was first revealed at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix back in May. It takes the illustrious GT3 RS and makes it even more unique. Equipped with 518 horsepower and a massive wing supplying downforce, this 911 is a dedicated track weapon. With the Weissach package optioned, lightweight drivetrain components and magnesium wheels cut up to 33 pounds to maximize the cars performance capabilities. What makes this car special While the car may drive like every other GT3 RS, the one-of-a-kind paint scheme makes it stand out from the rest. The vibrant version displays turquoise, red, green and yellow on the body of the car to pair with its bright red wheels. "Dua Lipa Rennstall" logos can be found on different parts of the exterior. The interior is full of black leather with red stitching. Proceeds will go to a charity founded by Dua Lipa Born in the United Kingdom to Kosovo Albanian parents, Dua Lipa founded the Sunny Hill Foundation in 2018 to provide support for Kosovan communities. Thirty scholarships for young women in Kosovo have been awarded by the organization, giving recipients access to careers in STEM. 17 NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) and cultural centers have been supported by the organization as well. How much can the car be expected to sell for? For a brand new 992-generation 911 GT3 RS, the starting manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) hovers around $250,000 before options. Considering how strongly GT3 RS models have been holding their value in recent years, the price will be much higher than when the vehicle was first released. The fact that this special model is a one-off with a collaboration from a very famous musician will make it cost a pretty penny. We will have to wait for the results to see what the car will fetch at the auction. For more information on the vehicle, go to
